About Us

The CSC provides services and support for alleged child victims of sexual and physical abuse in Washington County. Today, the CSC is comprised of an executive director, program director, forensic interviewer, three child advocates, a bilingual child advocate, development director, mental health therapist and a sexual assault nurse examiner. This group of professionals help in the treatment of alleged child abuse victims by bringing together the services of law enforcement, child protection professionals, and health practitioners. The CSC team ensures all agencies work together so that the child’s needs are met in a discreet, comforting, and nonthreatening manner, making the process more efficient and less traumatizing for the child.

The CSC team has helped more than 9,000 children, in the last 21 years. In 2017 the Children's Safety Center provided advocacy to 679 children; 594 forensic interviews were conducted at the CSC; 146 forensic medical exams were provided at the CSC; and 87 new child clients received on-site therapy. All of the services at the CSC are provided free of charge.

Do you recall when you were a child, not being able to wait to get home from school? Hopefully, you were able to play innocently with your family in the yard, sit down for dinner, and have your parents tuck you in wishing you goodnight. This is not the reality for most of the children who are brought to the Children’s Safety Center. These children do not want to leave school because they know they will not be safe at home, or in their yard, or when they are sleeping at night. Given the statistics, your child is much more likely to be molested than to be hit by a car when crossing the street.

The 5 Steps in Protecting our Children

1. Learn the Facts: 1 in 10 children will be sexually molested by the age of 18.
2. Minimize Opportunity: More than 80% of child sexual abuse incidents occur when children are in isolated, one-on-one situations with adults or other youth.
3. Talk About It: One of the best protections against sexual abuse is our relationship with children. Have open conversations with children about body safety, sex, and boundaries.
4. Recognize The Signs: The most common symptoms of child sexual abuse are emotional or behavioral changes. Know the signs of abuse to protect children from further harm.
5. React Responsibly: Understand how to respond to suspicions or reports of child sexual abuse. Very few reports are false. The Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline number is 800.482.5964 or (844)SAVEACHILD